Sanchez hits the jackpot! Wenger in the European money but won't buy Giroud back-up

ARSENE WENGER is banking on Alexis Sanchez to fill the void left by Olivier Giroud’s four-month absence after the Chilean scored the goal that took Arsenal into the Champions League for a 17th consecutive season.

Arsenal manager Wenger confirmed Giroud will be out until Christmas after having surgery yesterday on a broken tibia.

Sanchez scored his first goal for the club to sink Besiktas at the Emirates in a tense Champions League play-off with Arsenal playing the final 15 minutes with 10 men after Mathieu Debuchy’s dismissal for a second yellow card.

Arsenal will now be seeded in today’s lucrative Champions League draw but Wenger said he will not be forced into panic buying a striker to replace Giroud before the transfer window.

Asked if Sanchez can play up front for four months, Wenger said: “He can play his whole life at centre- forward. I bought him to play as a striker, not to play only on the flanks. He has great fighting spirit, qualities that will be very important in the Premier League.

“Giroud will be out for three-to-four months. You will ask me straight away, ‘Who we will buy?’ At the moment, no one.”

Giroud will be out for three-to-four months. Who we will buy? At the moment, no one

Arsene Wenger

Wenger then flat-batted every question about possible replacements before the transfer window closes on Monday, ruling out moves for Danny Welbeck and Nikola Zigic and saying that Radamel Falcao was not in Arsenal’s price range.

He insists Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski will give him the firepower he needs.

Wenger also praised Jack Wilshere. “From game to game, he grows,” he said. “He got some criticism recently.

“The best response is to show on the pitch that he’s getting better and better.” Besiktas boss Slaven Bilic said: “Can Arsenal win it? It’s still Bayern, Real Madrid and the rest are far away from that.”

Wilshere admitted he was lucky not to concede a penalty when he caught Ramon Motta towards the end of the first half and Wenger agreed it was a lucky escape, but was furious at Debuchy's dismissal.